A “SCARLET” PIMPERNEL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15313, 14 August 1923, Page 2

A “SCARLET” PIMPERNEL.

INVENTOR WHO BLUFFED TROOPS.

A scientific romance of the Ruhr is revealed by Mrs Philip Snowden in a letter to the Daily Chronicle. It concerns an invention by a German chemist —Dr. Hermann Wolf—by which the yield of benzine and motor petrol from raw oils is doubled. This invention, it is understood, is to be exploited by a British firm which has recently purchased the Munitions Ministry’s explosive store and refining plant near Chester. How tiie invention was narrowly saved from seizure by the French is told by Mrs Snowdon :

“So romantic has been the incident,” she says, “and so elusive, that the inventor might well be called tiie Scientific Pimpernel. From 1914 onwards Dr. Wolf had his apparatus installed, and was working towards its perfection, at Neuss, on the left bank of the Rhine. Owing lo the exigencies of the war he was unable to obtain raw oil, so work was retarded until recently. Soon aflcr this difficulty was overcome, however, a more formidable one sprang up in its place. Tiie sudden appearance of the French troops on the hills outside the town necessitated its instant dismantling. This was carried out successfully, but not without recourse to a ruse. In order to persuade the Frencii troops to forego seizure of destruction, it was deemed necessary to persuade them that the plant was nothing more interesting, or less like a war machine, than a boot-blacking manufacturing apparatus. A transfer to Dusseldorf followed. Unfortunately, tiie French followed also. More enquiries ensued, more investigations, more suspicion, and eventually, under cover of the same tale, Dr. Wolf spirited his invention into the quiet of the hinterland away from Frencii interference. If the French had not been deceived in this matter, this invention would have been lost, and Ihe enormous potential benefits to industry will) it. Is not the conclusion significant?”